Mr Paul Pearce shares the story of family member Colour Sergeant Major Vernon Henry Barber.

Vernon Henry Barber joined the school cadets, Glenhuntly Road state school, at eight years of age, and the Mordialloc school cadets two or three years later, where he was promoted to Colour Sergeant at the age of 14 years by the late Major Eddy.

Two years later he joined the Cheltenham Rangers, of which he was Corporal, and after six months became Second Lieutenant in the Senior Cadets at Caulfield.

He received his commission as first Lieutenant in the Citizen Forces at the age of 18 and was given command of his company, but later resigned on account of ill-health.

Vernon embarked on 21 October 1914 on the HMAT Orvieto. He joined the First Expeditionary Force as a Private and was made Corporal on the first day, Sergeant on the third day, and Colour Sergeant on the seventh day. He was made QM Sergeant on January 1, 1915, and Sergeant Major of D Company, 5th Battalion, at Egypt a month later. He was awarded Warrant Officer status posthumously circa 1922.

Sadly, Vernon was killed in action at the age of 21 on 28 April 1915 at Lone Pine.